Cam Newton’s Brother Will Play for Howard University

WASHINGTON — Caylin Newton, younger brother of NFL star Cam Newton, will take the next step in following his own football dreams, making the announcement on Twitter that he will be coming to Howard University to play quarterback:

The differences between the two are easy to notice: Cam is one of the largest quarterbacks ever in the NFL, listed at 6-5, 245 pounds, while Caylin is a tad undersized at 5-11, 185 pounds. Don’t be fooled by his diminutive frame though–at least his father believes he is every bit the athlete.

“Obviously, Cam is 6-5 and Caylin is 5-11, but the skill sets are quite similar. Caylin can do everything Cam can do, maybe even a tad better, in high school,” the elder Newton, Cecil Sr., told The Undefeated. “But we wanted a very simplified process for him to choose a school, and we felt Caylin needed a more enriched college experience that’s going to catapult him beyond football.

“It was a combination of campus culture, strong academics, as well as an opportunity to play football.”

Howard University is an FCS level program in the MEAC. It has produced 21 NFL players, including defensive back Antoine Bethea and former Washington Redskins tight end Jimmie Johnson.

Former Howard head coach Gary Harrell handled the recruitment process with Newton until his dismissal from the program in November. He told The Undefeated that he was comfortable with his in-house options at quarterback and hinted that under his tutelage, Newton may have switched positions.

“I had to tell him that if his son wanted to play quarterback, we had two young quarterbacks on the team, Jason Collins and Kalen Johnson, who have college experience,” he said. “So we didn’t really have intentions on recruiting a quarterback for 2017.

“This was not just about filling a depth chart. This was about getting a good-quality athlete who maybe could play quarterback or another position — but I wanted to give him an opportunity to compete for the position and go from there.”

Putting some star power on the roster doesn’t hurt either. Caylin’s brother Cam played for three different programs in college, starting out at the University of Florida before transferring to Blinn College because of playing time and academic issues.

At Blinn, Newton started and won the National Junior College Championships, becoming one of the most sought after available quarterbacks in the nation. His father Cecil Sr. was involved in a pay-for-play situation that nearly cost Newton his eligibility and Heisman Trophy, before the NCAA cleared Cam of wrongdoing in the situation.

Since then, Newton has been drafted with the No. 1 overall pick, been selected to three Pro Bowls, earned All-Pro and MVP status, and played in the Super Bowl. He has also rewritten the record books in Carolina and the NFL, made dabbing a cultural phenomenon, earned a slew of endorsements and become a face that transcends sports.

At Howard, Caylin will start off with much smaller expectations, like earning a roster spot. But if all goes well, the sky is the limit.

“We’re not coming in expecting Caylin to come in here to move mountains,” Cecil Sr. said. “We’re just coming in to try to fit into the program. We just want to blend right in.”